The most common reason people did not seek mental health treatment in 2022 was they thought they should have been able to manage their mental health on their own, according to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
The annual survey, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, polls a nationally representative sample of children and adults on their use of substances and mental health.
In 2022, 23.1% of adults reported some form of mental illness, and 6% reported having a serious mental illness. In 2022, 21.8% of adults reported receiving some form of mental health treatment during the year, and 50.6% of those with some form of mental illness reported receiving treatment.
Of those who reported some form of mental illness but did not receive treatment, nearly 3 in 4 said they thought they should be able to handle their mental health on their own.
Here are the five most common reasons why people say they did not seek mental health treatment. Respondents could choose more than one answer.
- Thought they should have been able to handle their mental health, emotions or behavior on their own: 76.7%
- Not ready to start treatment: 55.2%
- Thought it would cost too much: 59.4%
- Did not have enough time for treatment: 51.5%
- Did not know how or where to get treatment: 52%